Return to Aylesbury for Gangsta Granny

Steve Mills

It will be a return home after a long tour for actress Gilly Tompkins in her role as the title character in Gangsta Granny.

Born in Aylesbury, she stars in the role when the adaptation of the David Walliams book appears at The Waterside Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday May 17 to 21.

She said: “I play the title character in the book and she has a grandson who she spends a lot of time with. However, she has a very boring life, they eat a lot of cabbage soup and things that the grandson has no interest in.

“However the grandson soon realises that she has the alter ego and they go on many different experiences together. And there is a really good ending which I don’t want to ruin for anyone.”

And she says it was the original source material that persuaded her to play the unlikely hero.

She said: “You just don’t say no to appearing in a David Williams story, he’s one of the best story tellers for children out there and his books have been so well adapted for the stage.

“A lot of the time, the books that have been written for children are a lot better than the ones for adults.”

And there has been benefits in bringing families closer together.

She said: “The tour has been absolutely wonderful to do. You get all sorts of generations that come along to see it. And they will come with their parents and their grandparents.

“I get all sorts of feedback from people after they have seen the show. It’s inspired them to go and talk to their grandparents and ask them if they have any stories.

But despite being born in the town and bought up around Leighton Buzzard, this show will be a first for Gilly.

She said: “I have never performed at the venue before. I’m looking forward to appearing at the Waterside as a lot of people have told me it is a good venue.”